Dehradun, Nov. 5 -- The Spring and River Rejuvenation Authority (SARRA), Uttarakhand, has initiated a bio-indicator project to study and restore the ecological health of the Song River, widely considered the lifeline of the eastern Doon Valley, a release from the state government said. The six-month study aims to conduct a rapid assessment of water quality, riparian habitats, and human anthropogenic pressures along the river corridor. It is being conducted under Dr VP Uniyal, former senior professor and Scientist 'G' at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), said the release. To establish an accurate ecological baseline, researchers will examine five key biological indicator groups across the river ecosystem. These include aquatic macroinvertebrates, which are insects and larvae highly sensitive to water pollution, as well as butterflies and wild bees that reflect riparian vegetation health and pollination activity. The release said the study will also analyse odonata species, such as dragonflies and damselflies, to gauge water purity and shoreline structure, alongside various bird species that offer an overarching assessment of the entire riverine corridor. The study spans an 80-kilometer stretch from the river's origin in Kaddukhal, Tehri, to its confluence with the Ganga at Tehri Farm in Dehradun. Researchers have divided the course into upper, middle, and lower zones, setting up 36 permanent sampling stations with 12 allocated to each zone. The release stated that fieldwork will run from November through April to capture data across both post-monsoon and pre-monsoon phases....